The present invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner. More particularly, it relates to an upright type electric vacuum cleaner which can perform both, floor cleaning and handy cleaning using an attachment, wherein the electric vacuum cleaner is of simple arrangement which does not require a switching mechanism for switching between a flow path for ordinary use and a flow path for use with an attachment.
An upright type electric vacuum cleaner, which is capable of cleaning not only floors but also places other than floors such as walls, is conventionally known. Such an upright type electric vacuum cleaner is provided with two flow paths, namely a main body flow path which extends from a suction tool main body to a dust chamber of a vacuum cleaner main body and a flow path for handy cleaning which extends to the dust chamber (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 233482/2002). A flexible hose which forms the flow path for handy cleaning is in communication with a grip portion connected to an upper part of the vacuum cleaner main body in a freely attachable and detachable manner. For performing handy cleaning, the grip portion can be detached from the vacuum cleaner main body so as to use the same as an attachment for handy cleaning.
However, it is the case with such a vacuum cleaner having two flow paths that, owing to the fact that the suction efficiency is apt to be degraded, a flow path switching mechanism for selectively closing one flow path which is not in use needs to be provided, which results in a complicated overall structure. For instance, the electric vacuum cleaner as disclosed in the above reference is provided with a flow path opening and closing means for handy cleaning which closes the flow path for handy cleaning in a condition in which the vacuum cleaner main body is inclined for performing floor cleaning while it opens the flow path for handy cleaning in a condition in which the vacuum cleaner main body is uprising, and the overall structure is thus complicated.